If You Had Someone To To Do The Dirty Work For You...

Ivinni

After seeing this thread this morning:

http://www.contractortalk.com/f16/wh...l-hacks-51149/


I was thinking about what could be done to really make an impact and minimize this problem.

I have experienced unfair competition before but it was unfair for different reasons ( contractors, my own customers, not meeting code in the firestopping trade and the code enforcement officials that didn't know enough to stop it) and I know what worked for me to rectify the issue.

I would like to know what you guys think could be a viable solution to the problem if you had someone else to do the dirty work for?

By "someone to do the dirty work for you" I mean someone to act on your behalf to EXPOSE the illegalities of the practice and those who practice it, so as not to be "identified" with the negativity that comes with exposing others and their behavior. A "tattle tell" of sorts.

Before anyone flames me for identifying new business opportunities (which there could be), I have my hands full with what I've got, or at least as much as I want anyway. So please don't.

Let's look for a viable solution.

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its not going to get better with straps, or new footings or even aroma therapy.

Cole

People talk, it is as simple as that. I think it could work, but the probability of it coming back on you is high.

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Tulsa's Leader in Outdoor Living Construction | Facebook | Tulsa Pergola Builder | Tulsa Outdoor Kitchens

dirt diggler

i give A+ for the thought Ivinni


however, if your [not you - but "you" as in "general popluation" here] business is suffering because of being constantly underbid, then you need to rethink your entire business strategy and take a strong and honest look at just what the demand is for your product/service

otherwise, it's not a good business.


there will always be lowballers.

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Thanks in advance!!!

Ivinni

My business is good. I am always the highest price but get the job anyway from MY CORE CLIENTS. And what I lost early in my career was due to lack of code enforcement.

But what I see with the residential guys here is EVERYONE is pissed about being undercut by the illegals.

Did I misinterpret something?

Here are some recent threads talking about illegals:

http://www.contractortalk.com/f49/hoppin-mad-51084/


http://www.contractortalk.com/f11/subs-illegals-50109/


http://www.contractortalk.com/f8/wor...ilegals-31046/

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its not going to get better with straps, or new footings or even aroma therapy.

Ivinni

This is exactly what I was getting at.

When we were not getting enforcement, we were loosing work.

I complained to the head of enforcement in three different cities where I was working.

It came back to me alright.

So, we (other contractors from different areas) started making the phone calls for each other. When my buddy (we met at the national association meetings) in Miami was getting screwed because the inspectors were lazy, I would make the complaint calls for him. That way he did not get hurt. Didn't matter to me because I was never gonna work in Miami anyway. They (GC's) could black ball me all they wanted. He did the same for me.

What I wished we had was an entity that we could have hired to put REAL pressure on the code officials from a political standpoint (exposing them to the mayor, council, etc) and then if that didn't work, the media.

Even though or business is firestopping (life safety), people get all fired up about illegals as well.

If you had someone to expose the illegals and the people that hire them to the media (since the government is doing nothing), would you use that tool?

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its not going to get better with straps, or new footings or even aroma therapy.

Ivinni

I can't take credit for the idea even though I wish I could.

In Memphis, TN, in 98', a kid was killed and some others were hurt when a deck collapsed at an apartment building.

When Diane Sawyer got finished, it was exposed that the decks were not built to code and the heads started to roll and enforcement was kicked up a notch or two.

That's what media exposure can do for you when you have a problem with government not doing what they are paid to do.

All it would take is a letter to the mayor, then governor, and if that didn't work, to the TV and radio stations with press releases.

But who is gonna be the bad guy?

What if you could hire that bad guy?

He wouldn't care because he doesn't work as a contractor and is not in your area. Kind of like a press agent.

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its not going to get better with straps, or new footings or even aroma therapy.

Bodger

I'm in this same situation as of today and started a thread about it.
My story is about as bad as it gets, my client is hiring an illegal to build some decks because he's "cheaper" and because the architect brought him to the site in lieu of submitting detailed drawings for a set of decks I refused to build until I had the drawings.

Frankly at this point, I'm all for it. Drop a dime on every unlicensed hack-ass undercutting slob out there and see if it matters.
I have turned in several illegal job sites out here in CA, and it's just pissing in the wind though. They don't enforce.

Ivinni

Have you written the politicians AND copied the television stations and newspapers?

I would be happy to do it for you

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its not going to get better with straps, or new footings or even aroma therapy.